Greetings, QuickTake readers! In this edition: California discovers new virus timeline, WHO chief brushes off calls to resign, and how COVID-19 could unleash famines of biblical proportions.  The climate's ties to COVID-19Political leaders, scientists and activists spent the 50th anniversary of Earth Day calling attention to the links between the climate crisis and the coronavirus pandemic and urged the world to tackle both together. While the global shutdown has cleared the skies over major cities and offered a respite from rising CO2 emissions, it's also exposed the planet's vulnerabilities that facilitated the spread of the virus in the first place. "The parallels are screaming at us," former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said. "This moment in life is inseparable from this moment on Earth." UN Secretary-General António Guterres urged a "green recovery" in response to the "unprecedented wake-up call" of COVID-19. Speaking with Greta Thunberg, environmental scientist Johan Rockstrom said that "globalized travel and trade, risky food systems, deforestation, and biodiversity loss have put humans and nature on a collision course." Thunberg said the pandemic underscores the importance of science "to tackle two crises at once" and offers a new path forward. "In a crisis, you put your differences aside and take decisions that may not make sense, but in the long run, may be necessary for our common wellbeing." $ignificant figures88%. A study that tracked 2,634 COVID-19 patients in New York found an extraordinarily high death rate among those who had to be put on ventilators to help them breathe. 20 days. Health officials said two people in California died from COVID-19 weeks before the earliest known U.S. death, suggesting "our inability to test let this outbreak loose." 60. SpaceX launched that many internet-beaming satellites into orbit in the seventh launch its Starlink project, and Elon Musk plans to deploy thousands of more. Highly quotable"The world had enough time to respond." Bucking criticism it acted too slowly, the WHO said it declared the virus a global emergency "at the right time" and hopes the U.S. will rethink its funding freeze. "This is no time to act stupidly." New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo said he set aside politics in his meeting with Trump on Tuesday but won't bow to political pressure to reopen the state. "Decided not to seek or accept." Harvard said it won't take $8.7 million in federal stimulus funds for higher education after Trump tweeted that the richest U.S. college should "give back the money now." This is not normalCalamity looms. The virus pandemic could lead to famines of "biblical proportions," the UN said, warning an additional 130 million people could be "pushed to the brink of starvation" in only months.  The future is nowHello, virtual reality. Zoom parties are so five weeks ago. As lockdown life goes on, cyber gatherings are embracing a new wave of VR tech, upping the odds they're here to stay.  What's good3D-volunteer force. Techies and tinkerers all over are running 3D printers 24/7 to make much-needed PPE items for medical workers on the front lines of catastrophe.  Now that you're caught up... Tell your friends to sign up to receive our newsletter five days a week. Follow QuickTake on Twitter, YouTube, Instagram and Facebook. BTW: Last year was Europe's hottest. Here's how it looked from space. Thanks for reading!
-Andrew Mach | 
Post a Comment